Specialties

Treatment Focus

Chemotherapy; tyrosine kinase therapy; immunotherapy

Key Awards

Medical Oncology

Treatment Philosophy

I first had the opportunity to treat patients with sarcoma during my oncology fellowship training. I really enjoyed the challenge of this area of oncology because of the many types of tumors and their rarity. When I meet a patient, I work to be certain the pathologic diagnosis is correct and address what we need to do to treat the disease. I collaborate with Fox Chase pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and social workers to develop the right treatment plan. We meet as a team weekly at the Sarcoma multi-disciplinary tumor board to review individual patient cases and agree on the best management.

I am also committed to developing new therapies for patients with sarcomas. The strides made in improving cancer care have come from research and clinical trials. I work closely with scientists to better understand gastrointestinal stromal tumors and other sarcomas. I aim to have research studies as a treatment option for my sarcoma patients.

Judy Tomarchio didn't spend her honeymoon lying on a beach or cruising the Mediterranean. Instead, the South Philadelphia native found herself on the operating table at Fox Chase. In 2007, Judy, who was 54, was being treated for leiomyosarcoma, a rare kind of cancer of the soft tissue that can arise from smooth muscle cells anywhere in the body. "We moved the wedding up so we'd be married before the surgery," recalls Judy. "My Dave was with me from day one - he was my rock."

During a self-breast exam in December 2001, 33-year-old mother of two, Amy Owen, noticed something unusual. “It felt like a frozen pea,” she shares. It was one week before Christmas and Amy considered ignoring the sign. Instead, she followed her instinct and called her OB/GYN to schedule an appointment. That doctor referred Amy for a mammogram and told her not to worry. At her community hospital, following the mammogram, the on-site radiologist noticed something suspicious and ordered a breast ultrasound. After review, Amy was referred to an oncologist for further determination.

I was diagnosed with a retroperitoneal liposarcoma located in the fat around my kidney in January 2011. When the scans detected a mass near my liver, the doctor referred me to Dr. Margaret von Mehren, an oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center who directs the sarcoma program.

Patricia Cantwell was 33 years old when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the jaw. Her oral surgeon referred her to Fox Chase Cancer Center, where she first underwent four cycles of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor and prepare her for surgery. However, the tumor increased in size after the first two treatments, leading Patricia's team to decide to go straight to surgery. Following surgery, Patricia needed physical therapy as well as a course of radiation to prevent a recurrence. Though she was now physically healthy, Patricia was not confident about how her face looked because it had an indentation. She decided to undergo reconstructive surgery, which transferred thigh skin and fatty tissue to Patricia's cheek to reconstruct her face, mouth, and lips. Today, she is cancer free and happy that she looks like her old self again. "I was very pleased with the results, and I looked like myself before the cancer," she said. "Thanks to the talents of Dr. Topham, my self-esteem returned. I was able to eat anything and could speak with no problem. I was running around with no pain and felt great."

My body’s call for medical attention came on a seemingly normal morning in 2007, when I experienced extreme difficulty swallowing after completing my regular workout routine. I had an uneasy feeling about the strange sensation, but I delayed pursuing a doctor’s help until the next day, when I finally decided to go to the emergency room at a local hospital. The emergency room doctor found a large growth in my stomach and recommended that I seek a facility that was able to handle a tumor of that type and size. I was shocked that I could be living with something and not know. I was able to run five miles the previous day with no issues.

Specialties

Treatment Focus

Chemotherapy; tyrosine kinase therapy; immunotherapy

Key Awards

Medical Oncology

Treatment Philosophy

I first had the opportunity to treat patients with sarcoma during my oncology fellowship training. I really enjoyed the challenge of this area of oncology because of the many types of tumors and their rarity. When I meet a patient, I work to be certain the pathologic diagnosis is correct and address what we need to do to treat the disease. I collaborate with Fox Chase pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and social workers to develop the right treatment plan. We meet as a team weekly at the Sarcoma multi-disciplinary tumor board to review individual patient cases and agree on the best management.

I am also committed to developing new therapies for patients with sarcomas. The strides made in improving cancer care have come from research and clinical trials. I work closely with scientists to better understand gastrointestinal stromal tumors and other sarcomas. I aim to have research studies as a treatment option for my sarcoma patients.

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